Diffractive optical element, optical system and optical apparatus

ABSTRACT

A diffractive optical element is made by layering first and second diffractive gratings. A difference of an extinction coefficient to d-line between the two materials of each of the first and second diffractive grating is larger than 0.0002 and smaller than 0.002. The following conditional expressions are satisfied 0.05&lt;|Δnd 1 |&lt;0.3, 0.05&lt;|Δnd 2 |&lt;0.3, 20&lt;|Δν d 1 |&lt;40, and |Δνd 2 |&lt;15, where Δnd 1 , Δnd 2  are differences of a refractive index to the d-line between the two materials of the first and second diffractive gratings, and Δνd 1 , Δνd 2 are differences of an Abbe number between the two materials of the first and second diffractive gratings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a diffractive optical element (“DOE”), an optical system, and an optical apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

One known layered DOE has a structure in which a plurality of diffractive gratings is arranged, and a grating height and a material of each diffraction grating are properly set (Japanese Patent No. 3,717,555). It is also known to use a material having a linear abnormal dispersion property or a value of a partial dispersion ratio θgF smaller than that of a usual material for a diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher in an overall visible wavelength range (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. (“JPs”) 2004-78166 and 2008-241734).

JPs 2004-78166 and 2008-241734 use a material in which ITO (Indium-Tin Oxide) nanoparticles are dispersed in resin, for a material having the linear abnormal dispersion property. The refractive index of ITO is changed by the electron transition and free carrier caused by tin doping and oxygen holes. A strong linear dispersion property reveals due to the electron transition and the free carrier. ITO is used for a transparent electrode, and known as a material having a relatively high transmittance. However, ITO is not sufficient for an optical system that is required to have a higher transmittance. A drop of the transmittance of ITO is caused by tin doping and, it is extremely difficult to obtain a material having a strong linear dispersion property and an extremely high transmittance. As a consequence, a transmittance difference occurs in a single grating between a part having a high absolute value of a grating height of the ITO dispersed material and a part having a low absolute value of the grating height. The transmittance difference in the single grating in the DOE is not problematic when a light flux is wider than an interval (pitch) between the gratings, but the luminance becomes uneven on an image plane as the light flux becomes narrow. The diffractive efficiency deteriorates when a mixture ratio of ITO nanoparticles decreases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a diffractive optical element, an optical system, and an optical apparatus, which can reduce a transmittance difference in a single grating and maintain a high diffractive efficiency.

A diffractive optical element according to the present invention is made by layering a first diffractive grating and a second diffractive grating, each of which are made of two different materials. A difference of an extinction coefficient to d-line between the two materials of the first diffractive grating is larger than 0.0002 and smaller than 0.002. A difference of an extinction coefficient to the d-line between the two materials of the second diffractive grating is larger than 0.0002 and smaller than 0.002. The following conditional expressions are satisfied:

0.05<|Δnd1|<0.3, 0.05<|Δnd2|<0.3, 20<|Δνd1|<40, and |Δνd2|<15, where Δnd1 is a difference of a refractive index to the d-line between the two materials of the first diffractive grating, Δnd2 is a difference of a refractive index to the d-line between the two materials of the second diffractive grating, Δνd1 is a difference of an Abbe number between the two materials of the first diffractive grating, and Δνd2 is a difference of an Abbe number between the two materials of the second diffractive grating.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a plane view and a side view of a diffractive optical element according to first, second, third, fourth, and fifth embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a partially sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along a line A-A′ in FIG. 1 according to the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth embodiments.

FIGS. 3A-3B are graphs of a diffractive efficiency and a transmittance difference of the diffractive optical element illustrated in FIG. 2 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view of refractive index characteristics of materials used for the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth embodiments and a comparative example.

FIGS. 5A-5B are graphs of a diffractive efficiency and a transmittance difference of the diffractive optical element illustrated in FIG. 2 according to the second embodiment.

FIGS. 6A-6B are graphs of a diffractive efficiency and a transmittance difference of the diffractive optical element illustrated in FIG. 2 according to the third embodiment.

FIGS. 7A-7B are graphs of a diffractive efficiency and a transmittance difference of the diffractive optical element illustrated in FIG. 2 according to the fourth embodiment.

FIGS. 8A-8B are graphs of a diffractive efficiency and a transmittance difference of the diffractive optical element illustrated in FIG. 2 according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a partially sectional view of a structure of a diffractive optical element of a variation of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a partially sectional view of a structure of a diffractive optical element of a variation of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a partially sectional view of a structure of a diffractive optical element of a variation of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of an optical system having a diffractive optical element illustrated in FIG. 1 according to the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth embodiments.

FIG. 13 is a partially sectional view of a diffractive optical element according to the comparative example.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are graphs of a diffractive efficiency and a transmittance difference of a diffractive optical element according to the comparative example.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view and a side view of a diffractive optical element 10 of this embodiment. The diffractive optical element (“DOE”) 10 is formed on surfaces of substrate lenses 20 and 30 each having a flat plane or a curved surface. In this embodiment, the substrate lenses 20 and 30 have curved surfaces. DOE 10 has a concentric diffraction grating shape around an optical axis O, and possesses a lens function.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged sectional view taken along a line A-A′ illustrated in FIG. 1. For better understandings of the grating shape, the shape is exaggerated in the grating height (depth) direction and the surfaces of the substrate lenses 20, 30 on which the DOE 10 is formed are assumed to be flat.

The DOE 10 is a layered DOE in which a first diffractive grating 1 and a second diffractive 2 are adhered to each other. In the first diffractive grating 1, a diffractive grating made of a material 11 and a diffraction grating made of a material 12 are adhered to each other. In the second diffractive grating 2, a diffractive grating made of a material 21 and a diffraction grating made of a material 22 are adhered to each other.

Each of the first and second diffractive gratings 1, 2 has a concentric blazed grating shape. Each diffraction grating has a gradually changing grating pitch from the center (optical axis) to the periphery, and realizes a lens operation, such as a light converging effect and a diverging effect. In each of the first and second diffractive gratings 1, 2, the grating surfaces contact each other with no spaces and the grating wall surfaces contact each other with no spaces so as to serve as one diffraction grating unit through all layers. The blazed structure enables incident light upon the DOE 10 to be mainly diffracted in a specific diffractive order (+1^(st) order in the figure) direction.

In order to maximize the diffractive efficiency of diffracted light of a specific order in a designed or working wavelengths λ in the layered DOE illustrated in FIG. 2, an integrated value of a maximum optical path length difference of a grating unit over the diffraction grating is determined to be an integer times as large as the designed wavelength in accordance with the scalar diffraction theory. The condition that maximizes the diffractive efficiency of the diffracted light of the diffractive order m is given as follows for a ray that has the wavelength λ and perpendicularly enters a base surface of the diffraction grating:

(n12−n11) d1+(n22−n21) d2=mλ  Expression 1

In Expression 1, n11, n12, n21, and n22 are refractive indices of the materials 11, 12, 21 and 22 of the diffractive gratings for the wavelength λ, d1 and d2 are grating heights of the first and second diffractive gratings, and m is a diffractive order.

Now, a positive diffractive order is set to a diffractive order of a ray that diffracts below the 0-th order diffracted light illustrated in FIG. 2, and a negative diffractive order is set to a diffractive order of a ray that diffracts above the 0^(th) order diffracted light. The refractive indices n11, n12, n21, and n22 have such a relationship that n11>n12 and n21<n22. A sign of the grating height is determined so that both of d1 and d2 are negative when the grating height of the material 11 in the diffractive grating decreases (or when the grating height of the material 12 increases) in a direction from the bottom to the top in FIG. 2.

In the DOE illustrated in FIG. 2, the diffractive efficiency η(λ) for the wavelength λ is given as follows:

η(λ)=sinc² [π{m−(φ1+φ2)/λ}]=sinc² [π{m−(m1+m2)}]  Expression 2

In Expression 2, m1, m2, Φ1, and 101 2 are given as follows:

m1=φ1/λ=(n12−n11)d1/λ  Expression 3

m2=φ2/λ=(n22−n21)d2/λ  Expression 4

Since the working wavelength region of the DOE according to this embodiment is contained in a visible range, the materials and the grating heights of the first grating 1 and the second grating 2 are selected so that the transmittance difference reduces in the single grating throughout the visible range and the diffractive efficiency of the diffracted light of a designed order becomes high. In other words, the materials and the grating height of each diffractive grating are determined in the working wavelength range so that the maximum optical path length difference (which is a maximum value of an optical path length difference between a mountain and a valley of a diffractive unit) of the light that passes a plurality of diffractive gratings can be an approximately integer times as large as the wavelength in the working wavelength region. Thus, a diffractive efficiency can become high throughout the working wavelength region by properly setting materials and a shape of the diffractive grating.

For a diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher throughout the visible wavelength range, a material that contains absorptive ITO is indispensable but causes the transmittance difference in the single grating. This inventor has found that the transmittance difference can be reduced by cancelling the transmittance difference that occurs in the first diffractive grating and the transmittance difference that occurs in the second diffractive grating in the layered DOE.

FIG. 4 is a view that illustrates a relationship between a refractive index nd and an Abbe number νd for d-line of materials used for the DOE according to the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth embodiments and a comparative example. The comparative example utilizes a contacting two-layer DOE in which a height of each diffractive grating is properly set using a low refractive index high dispersive material and a high refractive index low dispersive material are used for the materials of each diffractive grating.

On the other hand, this embodiment further increases a refractive index in the high refractive index low dispersive material in the contacting two-layer DOE, and layers on the first diffractive grating, the second diffractive grating in which a low refractive index high dispersive material is combined with a high refractive index high dispersive material. This configuration can provide a diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher throughout the visible range, and reduce a transmittance difference in a single grating.

Although not illustrated, when the second diffractive grating is made of a low refractive index high dispersive material combined with the low refractive index low dispersive material and layered on the first diffractive grating, this structure can provide a diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher throughout the visible range. Nevertheless, in this case, the inventor has confirmed that the transmittance difference cannot be reduced in the single grating.

The DOE has an improved diffractive efficiency and a reduced transmittance difference when the following conditional expressions are satisfied:

0.05<|Δnd1|<0.3   Expression 5

0.05<|Δnd2|<0.3   Expression 6

20 <|Δνd1|<40   Expression 7

|Δνd2|<15   Expression 8

Δnd1 is a difference of a refractive index to the d-line between the two materials of the first diffractive grating. Δnd2 is a difference of a refractive index to the d-line between the two materials of the second diffractive grating. Δνd1 is a difference of an Abbe number between the two materials of the first diffractive grating. Δνd2 is a difference of an Abbe number between the two materials of the first diffractive grating.

When the lower limits in Expressions 5 and 6 are not satisfied, a refractive index difference becomes small and a grating height difference between the first and second diffractive gratings increases when the diffractive efficiency throughout the visible range is made higher. This is disadvantageous because the reducing effect of the transmittance difference impairs. When the lower limit of Expression 7 and Expression 8 are not satisfied, the diffractive efficiency throughout the visible range cannot be improved. When the upper limits of Expressions 5, 6, and 7 are not satisfied, a selection of a material becomes difficult.

The following conditional expressions may be satisfied:

0.0002<|k11−k12|<0.002   Expression 9

0.0002<|k21−k22|<0.002   Expression 10

Herein, k11 and k12 are extinction coefficients to d-line of the materials 11 and 12 of the first diffractive grating, and k21 and k22 are extinction coefficients to d-line of the materials 21 and 22 of the second diffractive grating.

When the lower limits of Expressions 9 and 10 are not satisfied, it becomes difficult to improve the diffractive efficiency throughout the visible range because an absorptive material is not used. In addition, since the transmittance difference of the first diffractive grating and the transmittance difference of the second diffractive grating cannot be cancelled out, the transmittance difference cannot be reduced. When the upper limits of Expressions 9 and 10 are not satisfied, the absorption increases in one of the materials 11, 12 of the first diffractive grating and the materials 21, 22 of the second diffractive grating. This configuration decreases the absolute value of the transmittance and it is difficult to apply the DOE to an optical system that is required to have a high transmittance.

Moreover, when the following conditional expression is satisfied, the DOE can reduce the transmittance difference in the single grating:

0<|d1|×(k11−k12)+|d2|×(k21−k22)<0.006   Expression 11

The diffractive efficiency becomes high throughout the visible range by using a material in which the partial dispersion ratio that satisfies the upper limit of the following expression is linear, for at least one material of the diffractive grating. Herein, νd is an Abbe number of the at least one material. When the lower limit of the conditional expression is not satisfied, a selection of a material becomes difficult.

0.35<θgF<(−1.665E−0.7×νd ²+5.213E−05×νd ²−5.656E−03×νd+0.715)   Expression 12

When an expression made by dividing Expression 1 by a product between the designed order and the wavelength satisfies the following conditional expression, the diffractive efficiency becomes 99% or higher throughout the visible range and the diffractive efficiency of the designed order can be maintained. Herein, λ is an arbitrary wavelength in a visible band.

0.940≦{d1×(n12−n11)+d2×(n22−n21)}/(m×λ)≦1.060   Expression 13

In order to mitigate restrictions of the applicable optical system by reducing the angular dependency of the diffraction efficiency, a sum between the grating height of the first diffractive grating and the grating height of the second diffractive grating may satisfy the following expression:

|d1|+|d2|<30 μm   Expression 14

First Embodiment

According to a first embodiment, the material 11 is acrylic ultraviolet curable resin mixed with ZrO₂ nanoparticles by 20 vol % (nd=1.6087, νd=48.7, and θgF=0.582). The material 12 is fluorine acrylic ultraviolet curable resin mixed with ITO nanoparticles by 15 vol % (nd=1.4970, νd=19.0, and θgF=0.410). The material 21 is fluorine acrylic ultraviolet curable resin mixed with ITO nanoparticles by 15 vol % (nd=1.4970, νd=19.0, and θgF=0.410). The material 22 is thioacrylic ultraviolet curable resin (nd=1.6356, vd=22.7, and θgF=0.689). The materials 12 and 21 use the same ITO nanoparticles in the same resin material.

The grating height d1 is −10.12 μm, the grating height d2 is −4.00 μm, and the designed order is +1^(st) order. Base thicknesses h11, h12, h21, and h22 of the materials 11, 12, 21, and 22 are 30 μm, 1.0 μm, 1.0 μm, and 30 μm, respectively. The base thickness is a thickness in which no grating is formed. The partial dispersion ratio θgF is expressed as follows:

θgF=(ng−nF)/(nF−nC)   Expression 15

The materials 12 and 21 use the materials mixed with ITO that is absorptive in the visible wavelength range, and the first diffractive grating 1 and the second diffractive grating 2 face the same direction. Therefore, the total transmittance difference can be reduced in the single grating which is made by summing the transmittance in the first diffractive grating 1 and the transmittance in the second diffractive grating 2. Moreover, the materials 12 and use the same material in this embodiment, there is no interface between h12 and h21 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3A is a graph that illustrates characteristics of the diffractive efficiency with the designed order (+1^(st) order) and diffractive efficiencies of 0-th light and +2^(nd) order diffracted light of the DOE 10 according to the first embodiment. Only 0-th order light and +2^(nd) order diffracted light are selected as unnecessary order light, because a diffractive efficiency of an order that is more distant from 0-th order and +2^(nd) order more drastically decreases.

In FIG. 3A, the left ordinate axis denotes the diffractive efficiency (%) of the +1^(st) order diffracted light as the designed order. The right ordinate axis denotes the diffractive efficiencies of 0-th light and +2^(nd) order diffracted light. The abscissa axis denotes a wavelength (nm). A perpendicularly incident angle is assumed.

As illustrated, the diffractive efficiency of the designed order is 99.8% or higher throughout the visible range (the wavelength 430 nm-670 nm). The diffractive efficiency of the unnecessary order is reduced down to 0.1% or lower throughout the visible range. Among the bandwidth between 400 nm and 700 nm which is known as a visible wavelength band, the wavelength between 430 nm and 670 nm is targeted. This is because the wavelengths between 400 nm and 430 nm and 670 nm and 700 nm provide a low relative luminous efficiency and low influence on images. Of course, a wider wavelength band is suitable and the invention is not limited to the above wavelength band. This applies to the following embodiments.

FIG. 3B is a graph that illustrates a characteristic of a transmittance difference ΔT at both ends in a single grating of the DOE 10 according to the first embodiment. The abscissa axis denotes a wavelength (nm) and the ordinate axis denotes a transmittance difference (%). The transmittance difference in the single grating is a difference between transmittances T1 and T2 illustrated in FIG. 2, and given by the following expression:

ΔT=T1−T2   Expression 16

T1=exp{−(h11×k11+|d1|×k11+h12×k12+h21×k21+|d2|×k21+h22×k22)×4π/λ}  Expression 17

T2=exp{−(h11×k11+|d1|×k12+h12×k12+h21×k21+|d2|×k22+h22×k22)×4π/λ}  Expression 18

Herein, k11 and k12 are extinction coefficients to the d-line of the materials 11 and 12, and k21 and k22 are extinction coefficients to the d-line of the materials 21 and 22. The materials 11 and 22 have little absorptive and thus negligible.

As illustrated in 3B, the transmittance difference of the DOE 10 according to the first embodiment has an average value of 8.4% over the visible range (wavelength 430 nm-670 nm). The transmittance difference is lower than that of the comparative example, which will be described later, and can reduce the uneven luminance on the image plane.

This embodiment selects materials that satisfy Expressions 5 to 8, the grating height that satisfies Expression 13, and adopts the predetermined layered DOE that satisfy Expressions 9 to 11. Therefore, this embodiment can maintain the diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher over the visible range and reduce the transmittance difference in the single grating. The material and manufacturing method of the DOE is not limited to this embodiment. This applies to the following embodiments.

Second Embodiment

According to a second embodiment, the material 11 is acrylic ultraviolet curable resin mixed with ZrO₂ nanoparticles by 30 vol % (nd=1.6493, νd=47.8, and θgF=0.589), and the mixture ratio of the ZrO₂ nanoparticles becomes higher. The same materials those of the first embodiment are used for the materials 12, 21, and 22. The grating height d1 is −9.54 μm, and the grating height d2 is −6.20 μm, and the designed order is +1^(st) order. The base thicknesses h11, h12, h21, and h22 of the materials 11, 12, 21, and 22 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5A is a graph that illustrates characteristics of the diffractive efficiency with the designed order (+1^(st) order) and diffractive efficiencies of 0-th light and +2^(nd) order diffracted light of the DOE 10 according to the first embodiment. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3A. As illustrated, the diffractive efficiency of the designed order is 99.5% or higher over the visible range, and the diffractive efficiency of the unnecessary order is reduced down to 0.2% or lower over the visible range.

FIG. 5B is a graph that illustrates a characteristic of a transmittance difference ΔT in a single grating of the DOE 10 according to the second embodiment. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3B. As illustrated, the transmittance difference has an average value of 4.5% over the visible range. The transmittance difference is lower than that of the comparative example, which will be described later, and can reduce the uneven luminance on the image plane. The diffractive efficiency of the designed order is slightly lower than that of the first embodiment, but the transmittance difference is lower than that of the first embodiment.

This embodiment selects materials that satisfy Expressions 5 to 8, the grating height that satisfies Expression 13, and adopts the predetermined layered DOE that satisfy Expressions 9 to 11. Therefore, this embodiment can maintain the diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher over the visible range and reduce the transmittance difference in the single grating.

Third Embodiment

According to a third embodiment, the material 22 is resin made by blending acrylic ultraviolet curable resin 40 vol % with thioacrylic ultraviolet curable resin 60 vol % (nd=1.5919, vd=28.0, and θgF=0.667). The same materials those of the first embodiment are used for the materials 11, 12, and 21. The grating height d1 is −10.38 μm, and the grating height d2 is −4.88 μm, and the designed order is +1^(st) order. The base thicknesses h11, h12, h21, and h22 of the materials 11, 12, 21, and 22 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a graph that illustrates characteristics of the diffractive efficiency with the designed order (+1^(st) order) and diffractive efficiencies of 0-th light and +2^(nd) order diffracted light of the DOE 10 according to the third embodiment. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3A. As illustrated, the diffractive efficiency of the designed order is 99.6% or higher over the visible range, and the diffractive efficiency of the unnecessary order is reduced down to 0.2% or lower over the visible range.

FIG. 6B is a graph that illustrates a characteristic of a transmittance difference ΔT in a single grating of the DOE 10 according to the third embodiment. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3B. As illustrated, the transmittance difference has an average value of 7.4% over the visible range. The transmittance difference is lower than that of the comparative example, which will be described later, and can reduce the uneven luminance on the image plane.

This embodiment selects materials that satisfy Expressions 5 to 8, the grating height that satisfies Expression 13, and adopts the predetermined layered DOE that satisfy Expressions 9 to 11. Therefore, this embodiment can maintain the diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher over the visible range and reduce the transmittance difference in the single grating.

Fourth Embodiment

According to a fourth embodiment, the material 11 is K-VC80 (trade name of Sumita Optical Glass Inc.) (nd=1.6938, νd=53.1, and θgF=0.549). The material 22 is K-CD120 (trade name of Sumita Optical Glass Inc.) (nd=1.7722, νd=29.2, and θgF=0.604). The same materials those of the first embodiment are used for the materials 12, and 21. The grating height d1 is −11.55 μm, and the grating height d2 is −7.46 μm, and the designed order is +1^(st) order. The base thicknesses h11, h12, h21, and h22 of the materials 11, 12, 21, and 22 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7A is a graph that illustrates characteristics of the diffractive efficiency with the designed order (+1^(st) order) and diffractive efficiencies of 0-th light and +2^(nd) order diffracted light of the DOE 10 according to the fourth embodiment. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3A. As illustrated, the diffractive efficiency of the designed order is 99.7% or higher over the visible range, and the diffractive efficiency of the unnecessary order is reduced down to 0.1% or lower over the visible range.

FIG. 7B is a graph that illustrates a characteristic of a transmittance difference ΔT in a single grating of the DOE 10 according to the fourth embodiment. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3B. As illustrated, the transmittance difference has an average value of 5.3% over the visible range. The transmittance difference is much lower than that of the comparative example, which will be described later, and can reduce the uneven luminance on the image plane.

This embodiment selects materials that satisfy Expressions 5 to 8, the grating height that satisfies Expression 13, and adopts the predetermined layered DOE that satisfy Expressions 9 to 11. Therefore, this embodiment can maintain the diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher over the visible range and reduce the transmittance difference in the single grating.

Fifth Embodiment

According to a fifth embodiment, the material 12 is fluorine acrylic ultraviolet curable resin mixed with ITO nanoparticles by 15 vol % (nd=1.4970, νd=19.0, and θgF=0.410). The material 21 is fluorine acrylic ultraviolet curable resin mixed with ITO nanoparticles by 23 vol % (nd=1.5313, νd=14.9, and θgF=0.395). The same materials those of the first embodiment are used for the materials 11 and 22. The grating height d1 is −13.34 μm, and the grating height d2 is −8.55 μm, and the designed order is +1^(st) order. The base thicknesses h11, h12, h21, and h22 of the materials 11, 12, 21, and 22 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8A is a graph that illustrates characteristics of the diffractive efficiency with the designed order (+1^(st) order) and diffractive efficiencies of 0-th light and +2^(nd) order diffracted light of the DOE 10 according to the fifth embodiment. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3A. As illustrated, the diffractive efficiency of the designed order is 99.0% or higher over the visible range, and the diffractive efficiency of the unnecessary order is reduced down to 0.4% or lower over the visible range.

FIG. 8B is a graph that illustrates a characteristic of a transmittance difference ΔT in a single grating of the DOE 10 according to the fifth embodiment. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3B. As illustrated, the transmittance difference has an average value of 0.3% over the visible range. The transmittance difference is much lower than that of the comparative example, which will be described later, and can reduce the uneven luminance on the image plane.

This embodiment selects materials that satisfy Expressions 5 to 8, the grating height that satisfies Expression 13, and adopts the predetermined layered DOE that satisfy Expressions 9 to 11. Therefore, this embodiment can maintain the diffractive efficiency of 99% or higher over the visible range and reduce the transmittance difference in the single grating.

Since the fifth embodiment uses different materials for the materials 12 and 21, the degree of freedom improves in configuring the DOE. In particular, in comparison with the first diffractive grating, a highly absorptive material (with a large dispersion amount of ITO) is used for the second diffractive grating having a low grating height, and thereby the DOE having few transmittance differences can be configured.

The diffractive efficiency and the transmittance difference in the single grating are kept even when the order of the first diffractive grating and the second diffractive grating or the orientation of the grating are properly changed in the layered DOE. Table 1 denotes structural variations 1-7 in which the structure of the layered DOE is changed from the structure of fifth embodiment.

TABLE 1 EMBODIMENT STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL 5 VARIATION 1 VARIATION 2 VARIATION 3 MATERIAL ZrO₂-20% ITO-15% ZrO₂-20% ITO-15% 11 MATERIAL ITO-15% ZrO₂-20% ITO-15% ZrO₂-20% 12 MATERIAL ITO-23% THIOACRYLIC THIOACRYLIC ITO-23% 21 MATERIAL THIOACRYLIC ITO-23% ITO-23% THIOACRYLIC 22 d1 −13.34 +13.34 −13.34 +13.34 d2  −8.55  +8.55  +8.55  −8.55 FIG. FIG. 2 FIG. 9 FIG. 10 FIG. 11 STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL VARIATION 4 VARIATION 5 VARIATION 6 VARIATION 7 MATERIAL ITO-23% THIOACRYLIC THIOACRYLIC ITO-23% 11 MATERIAL THIOACRYLIC ITO-23% ITO-23% THIOACRYLIC 12 MATERIAL ZrO₂-20% ITO-15% ZrO₂-20% ITO-15% 21 MATERIAL ITO-15% ZrO₂-20% ITO-15% ZrO₂-20% 22 d1  −8.55  +8.55  +8.55  −8.55 d2 −13.34 +13.34 −13.34 +13.34 FIG. FIG. 2 FIG. 9 FIG. 10 FIG. 11

Structural variation 1 is a structure made by replacing the material 11 with the material 12, the material with the material 22 of the fifth embodiment in the structure of FIG. 9, and by inverting both grating orientations.

Structural variation 2 is a structure made by replacing the material 21 with the material 22 of the fifth embodiment in the structure of FIG. 10, and by inverting the orientation of the second diffractive grating.

Structural variation 3 is a structure made by replacing the material 11 with the material 12 of the fifth embodiment in the structure of FIG. 11, and by inverting the orientation of the first diffractive grating.

Structural variations 4, 5, 6, and 7 are structures made by replacing the material 11 with the material 21 and the material 12 with the material 22 of the fifth embodiment and the structural variations 1, 2, and 3. These structures have the same diffractive efficiency and transmittance difference as the first embodiment when each base thickness is assumed to be the same.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE

FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a (contacting two-layer) DOE 3 as the comparative example corresponding to the DOE 10. The material 31 is acrylic ultraviolet curable resin mixed with ZrO₂ nanoparticles by 6 vol % (nd=1.5521, νd=50.4, and θgF=0.570). The material 32 is fluorine acrylic ultraviolet curable resin mixed with ITO nanoparticles by 15 vol % (nd=1.4970, νd=19.0, and θgF=0.410). The grating height d3 is −10.52 μm, and the designed order is +1^(st) order. The base thicknesses h31, h32 of the materials 31, 32 are 30 μm, 1.0 μm, respectively.

FIG. 14A is a graph that illustrates characteristics of the diffractive efficiency with the designed order (+1^(st) order) and diffractive efficiencies of 0-th light and +2^(nd) order diffracted light of the DOE 3. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3A. As illustrated, the diffractive efficiency of the designed order is 99.9% or higher over the visible range, and the diffractive efficiency of the unnecessary order is reduced down to 0.1% or lower over the visible range.

FIG. 14B is a graph that illustrates a characteristic of a transmittance difference ΔT in a single grating of the DOE 3. The definitions of the ordinate axis and the abscissa axis are the same as those for FIG. 3B. As illustrated, the transmittance difference has an average value of 14.9% over the visible range, which is higher than that of the DOE 10 according to the first to fifth embodiments, causing the uneven luminance on the image plane.

In the comparative example, a structure of the contacting two-layer DOE is illustrated. When the diffractive grating materials 31 and 32 in FIG. 13 are separated so that there is a boundary space, the layered DOE is configured. Even in this case, the transmittance difference is similar to FIG. 14B. Thus, similar to the conventional contacting two-layer DOE, the conventional layered DOE has a higher transmittance difference.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of an image-forming lens (optical system) 101 of a digital still camera, and the image-forming lens 101 includes a stop 40 and the DOE 10 of one of the embodiments. Reference numeral 41 is an imaging plane, on which a photoelectrical conversion element, such as a film or a CCD is arranged. The DOE 10 corrects a chromatic aberration of the image-forming lens 101. The DOE 10 maintains a high diffractive efficiency and reduces a transmittance difference in a single grating. Therefore, the DOE 10 has little flare and can provide a high-performance image-forming lens having an approximately even luminance on the imaging plane.

While FIG. 12 provides the DOE 10 onto a cemented surface of a front lens, the structure is not limited to FIG. 12. The DOE may be provided onto a lens surface or a plurality of DOEs 10 may be provided into the image-forming lens.

The optical apparatus and the optical system are not limited to the digital camera and the image-forming lens. The instant embodiments are applicable to an imaging optical system used for a wide wavelength range, such as an image-forming lens of a video camera, an image scanner of an office machine, and a reader lens in a digital copier.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-089672, filed Apr. 14, 2011 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 

1. A diffractive optical element made by layering a first diffractive grating and a second diffractive grating, each of which are made of two different materials, wherein a difference of an extinction coefficient to d-line between the two materials of the first diffractive grating is larger than 0.0002 and smaller than 0.002, a difference of an extinction coefficient to the d-line between the two materials of the second diffractive grating is larger than 0.0002 and smaller than 0.002, and the following conditional expressions are satisfied: 0.05<|Δnd1|<0.3; 0.05<|Δnd2|<0.3; 20<|Δνd1|<40; and |Δνd2|<15, where Δnd1 is a difference of a refractive index to the d-line between the two materials of the first diffractive grating, Δnd2 is a difference of a refractive index to the d-line between the two materials of the second diffractive grating, Δνd1 is a difference of an Abbe number between the two materials of the first diffractive grating, and Δνd2 is a difference of an Abbe number between the two materials of the second diffractive grating.
 2. The diffractive optical element according to claim 1, wherein the following conditional expression is further satisfied: 0<|d1|×(k11−k12)+|d2|×(k21−k22)<0.006 where k11 and k12 are the extinction coefficients to the d-line of the two materials of the first diffractive grating, k21 and k22 are the extinction coefficients to the d-line of the two materials of the second diffractive grating, d1 is a grating height of a first diffractive grating, and d2 is a grating height of a second diffractive grating.
 3. The diffractive optical element according to claim 1, wherein one of the two materials of one of the first diffractive grating and the second diffractive grating is an absorptive material.
 4. The diffractive optical element according to claim 3, wherein the absorptive material contains ITO nanoparticles.
 5. The diffractive optical element according to claim 3, wherein the absorptive material of the first diffractive grating is the same as the absorptive material of the second diffractive grating.
 6. The diffractive optical element according to claim 3, wherein the absorptive material is a resin material mixed with ITO nanoparticles.
 7. The diffractive optical element according to claim 1, wherein the following conditional expressions are further satisfied: 0.940{≦d1×(n12−n11)+d2×(n22−n21)}/(m×λ)≦1.060 where n11 and n12 are refractive indices of the two materials of the first diffractive grating to light having an arbitrary wavelength in a visible range, n21 and n22 are refractive indices of the two materials of the second diffractive grating to the light having the arbitrary wavelength in the visible range, d1 is a grating height of the first diffractive grating, d2 is a grating height of the second diffractive grating, λ is the arbitrary wavelength in the visible range, and m is a designed order.
 8. The diffractive optical element according to claim 1, wherein the following conditional expression is further satisfied: |d1|+|d2|<30 μm where d1 is a grating height of the first diffractive grating, and d2 is a grating height of the second diffractive grating.
 9. The diffractive optical element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two materials of one of the first and second diffractive gratings satisfies the following conditional expression: 0.35<θgF<(−1.665E−07×νd ³+5.213E−05×νd ²−5.656E−03×νd+0.715) where θgF is a partial dispersion ratio of the at least one of the two materials, and νd is an Abbe number of the at least one of the two materials.
 10. An optical system comprising the diffractive optical element according to claim
 1. 11. An optical apparatus comprising an optical system, the optical system including the diffractive optical element according to claim
 1. 